De facto moratorium’ on fracking already exists, put in place by Tories: Energy Minister ADAM HURAS Legislature Bureau FREDERICTON • Energy Minister Donald Arseneault says a ‘de facto moratorium’ on hydraulic fracturing already exists – stating it was put in place by the former Tory government. The surprising words don’t mean that the Liberals believe their work is done in delivering on the fracking moratorium promised during the election, Arseneault said. But the energy minister alleges the Progressive Conservative government’s regulations to police the industry’s disposal of fracking wastewater have stymied the development of shale gas in New Brunswick. Arseneault said industry has told him that it’s struggling with provincial government policies on the disposal of waste water. He pointed to Amherst, Nova Scotia’s recent decision against taking in 30 million litres of treated fracking wastewater, the bulk of it from shale gas operations in New Brunswick. Dieppe was also approached to dump treated fracking waste water into the sewer system of the Greater Moncton Wastewater Commission. Meanwhile, Arseneault says Saint John Mayor Mel Norton told him this week that the Port City is willing to take on the waste water to ensure the industry pushes forward. Arseneault’s words come after the Liberals have repeatedly criticized the former Tory government’s efforts to regulate the shale gas industry, stating that a moratorium is necessary to address health and environmental concerns related to hydraulic fracturing. “I just don’t think it’s fair for the Tories and the Bruce Fitches of the world to start attacking our government saying we’re putting a stop to all this industry when really they stalled the industry themselves,” Arseneault said. “The Tories already started that work on a moratorium. “Corridor will tell you that it’s a major challenge and right now they are not moving forward because they don’t know what do to with the water.” He added: “Every stakeholder that I have met has expressed concern with this water policy.” Corridor Resources president and CEO Steve Moran was unavailable for comment on Thursday. Norton has not responded to repeated interview requests. Progressive Conservative Energy critic Jake Stewart stated on Thursday that it’s “ridiculous and nonsensical” to suggest that the Tory government hindered the industry’s growth. Stewart then noted that Premier Brian Gallant is out of the country in Senegal where he is participating in the Francophonie Summit, alleging the energy minister thinks he has been let loose to say what he wants. The Tory critic was also referencing comments Arseneault made to the Telegraph-Journal last month that a regional moratorium was an option. A day later, Gallant said it wasn’t. “We know the premier has placed a muzzle on the minister of energy and mines,” Stewart said. “It is clearly to prevent him from making ridiculous comments such as these. “He must think he won’t get in trouble this time seeing how the premier is an ocean away.” Stewart then said there was no pause to shale gas development while the Tories were in power. “SWN continued to apply for drilling permits last summer well after the rules were in place,” he said. “If the rules were holding things up, why would they continue to explore and apply for more permits? “The only company in N.B. that is in a position to hydraulically fracture is Corridor and they did so just months ago with the new rules in place. What he is saying is nonsensical.” Arseneault points to a document entitled the Responsible Environmental Management of Oil and Natural Gas Activities in New Brunswick – rules for industry brought forward by former Tory Energy Minister Craig Leonard last year. He specifically highlighted a water management plan for shale gas development. “A well operator intending to employ hydraulic fracturing and intending to withdraw or use water from any water source must have a regulator-approved water management plan in place prior to commencing hydraulic fracturing,” reads the document. It also states that the plan must estimate the quantities and types of water that will be required, the planned methods of reusing or treating wastewater, and the reason why a waterless hydraulic fracturing technology is not being proposed. Arseneault said that the rules then conclude that if a facility is willing to take on the waste water, it would be subject to the environmental impact assessment process. “This is a huge process all in itself,” he said. “You have to tell the government what you are going to do with that water after you frack and if you don’t have a plan for that water, you can’t frack. “When you hear the Bruce Fitch’s of the world saying we are stopping the industry, basically they’ve stopped the industry as well because nothing can happen right now in terms of hydraulic fracturing without having a plan.” He added: “That’s a huge concern that has been brought forward. When I do my rounds with industry stakeholders that is one of the major concerns that is preventing them from moving forward.” Arseneault said he supports the regulation, when asked if he was proposing to change it. He also said that it doesn’t take care of the Liberal promise for a hydraulic fracturing moratorium, stating it’s “comprised of many aspects.” “The water issue is one component of the whole moratorium concept that we are going to bring forward,” Arseneault said. “All I’m saying is that the water is an important component, but there’s already a de facto moratorium in place that was put in place by the former government. “There’s no doubt we have been working hard on bring forward a moratorium, we have a clear mandate to bring forward a moratorium and it’s a question of looking at all the aspects of this whole sector.” He added: “When you look at the policy that was put in place by the former government, really there is a de facto moratorium in place right now.” “No matter what I do and what I decide in terms of what I am going to bring forward in the near future, there is a de facto (moratorium already in place) because if you look at the policy, no company can do hydraulic fracturing before they can present a waste water management plan.” Arseneault said Saint John appears willing to aid the industry. It would have to go through the environmental impact assessment process in order for its treatment facility to be approved for increased capacity, he added. “Yesterday we had a meeting with the mayor of Saint John,” Arseneault said. “We talked about how there’s nothing that actually can happen now because of this water issue and so he said ‘we’ll take it.’ “’Saint John will treat the frack water.’” Arseneault then questioned whether the Tories knew about Saint John Mayor Mel Norton’s position. “Is the mayor of Saint John just saying it on his own?” he said. “It is going to be interesting to see if he follows through with it. “We have seen this debate happening in Dieppe, in Amherst, why doesn’t he step out publicly and say it?” When reached on Thursday, Deputy Mayor Shelley Rinehart said she was not aware of any discussion suggesting that Saint John would take on hydraulic fracturing waste water, but noted that the topic of waste water in general has been brought up. “I have certainly heard discussion during my time on the energy council but no we have not discussed it on (common) council,” Rinehart said. She added that there are a lot of different methods of hydraulic fracturing so a lot more information would be needed before making a decision on whether or not Saint John should get involved. “There are a lot of pieces to that,” she said. Asked if fracturing could continue under a Liberal moratorium if Saint John went through the proper approvals and industry met regulatory standards, Arseneault said that was yet to be determined. “It’s too early to say what companies will be allowed to do or not to do, we’re working on developing a moratorium,” he said. Arseneault wouldn’t say if the moratorium would come forward next month when the legislature sits.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 00:11:38 +0000
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